USMNT weekend viewing guide: hoping for some treats

Another international window is just around the corner, with a roster announcement coming in the next week. So, we have one last weekend for uSMNTplayers to catch the eye of Gregg Berhalter and hopefully stay healthy as well. There are a number of matches on Saturday and Sunday, here’s what we’re watching:

Saturday

FC Barcelona v Deportivo Alavés - 3p on ESPN+

Sergiño Dest and Matt Miazga will likely go head to head in a rare matchup of Americans in La Liga. Dest has started 10 of 11 league matches for Barcelona this season, including the last three which he has started on the right wing. It will be interesting to see if that changes this weekend, as Ronald Koeman is no longer calling the shots. Dest has provided three assists this season, two of those coming in the past three weeks when he was starting up top.

Miazga had started four straight, and six of seven since joining Alavés but did not make it off the bench on Tuesday in the club’s 1-0 win over Elche. It was the clubs second straight win and has pulled them up to 16th place in the league table.

Other notes:

• Zack Steffen will be on the bench for Manchester City as they face Crystal Palace at 10a on NBCSN.
• Inter Miami face James Sands, Keaton Parks, and NYCFC at 1:30p on TUDN and Univision.
• Real Salt Lake face Cade Cowell and the San Jose Earthquakes at 3:30p on TUDN and Univision.

Streaming Overseas

• Gio Reyna remains out for Borussia Dortmund, who face Köln at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Julian Green should probably start hoping to make an impression on another team if he wants to stay in the top tier next season as Greuther Fürth have been dreadful. The club play Freiburg at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Christian Pulisic also remains out though has reportedly returned to training for Chelsea FC, who face Newcastle United at 10a on Peacock.
• Weston McKennie might be the most in form American playing abroad at the moment. His Juventus side need some better results though and will look to move up from their seventh place position when they face Hellas Verona at Noon on Paramount+.
• Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig face Timothy Chandler’s Eintracht Frankfurt at 12:30p on ESPN+.
• Yunus Musah’s minutes have been pretty irregular again for a Valencia side that face Villarreal at 12:30p on ESPN+.
• Luca de la Torre will get a shot at mighty Ajax as they face his Heracles side at 12:45p on ESPN+.

MLS Mashup (all games on ESPN+):

• Caden Clark, Kyle Duncan and the New York Red Bulls face CF Montreal at 4p.
• Miles Robinson and George Bello take on a suddenly hot Jozy Altidore and Toronto FC at 7p.
• Paul Arriola returned from injury to play 45 minutes on Thursday against the Red Bulls. DC United now face the Columbus Crew at 8:30p.
• Ricardo Pepi and FC Dallas face Austin FC at 9p.

Sunday

Norwich City v Leeds United - 10a on NBCSN

Josh Sargent and Norwich City will get a little network visibility on Sunday morning when they face Leeds. It has been a disappointing season for both sides, and this is looking like an early relegation scrap. Leeds have one win through their first nine matches and currently sit in 17th place with seven points. Things have not been good for the club but they are probably licking their chops at the prospect of facing Norwich, who have taken things to a whole new, low level. Norwich have just two points through their first nine matches, having yet to win, and most shockingly have surrendered 23 goals while scoring just two of their own. It’s been a dreadful first quarter of the season, and Sargent is another player who is going to have to make an impression to land elsewhere if he’s going to remain in a top flight.

Other notes:

• Hassani Dotson and Minnesota United face Sporting Kansas City at 1p on ESPN.
• Daryl Dike and Orlando City face Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC at 4p on TUDN and Unimas.

Streaming overseas:

• Matthew Hoppe made it back to the bench but did not see any minutes mid-week for Mallorca, he hasn’t appeared since the club’s 6-1 loss to Real Madrid. This weekend, the club face Cadiz at 9a on EPSN+.
• Nicholas Gioacchini and Montpellier face Nantes at 10a on beIN Sports.
• Gianluca Busio has been a regular starter for Venezia, who face Genoa at 10a on Paramount+. Tanner Tessman also saw minutes for the club last time out.
• Joe Scally and Borussia Mönchengladbach look to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to Hertha Berlin when they face Bochum at 12:30p on ESPN+.

MLS Mashup (all games on ESPN+):

• Kellyn Acosta and the Colorado Rapids face the Houston Dynamo at 3:30p.
• The weekend closes with the Philadelphia Union taking on FC Cincinnati at 7:30p.